The Walking Dead (season 9)

The Walking Dead (season 9)
Promotional poster art
Starring
Country of origin United States
No. of episodes 2
Release
Original network AMC
Original release October 7, 2018 (2018-10-07) – present (present)
Season chronology

The ninth season of The Walking Dead, an American post-apocalyptic horror television series on AMC premiered on October 7, 2018, and will consist of 16 episodes, split into two parts; each consisting of eight episodes with the latter half airing in early 2019.[1][2] Developed for television by Frank Darabont, the series is based on the eponymous series of comic books by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. The executive producers are Kirkman, David Alpert, Scott M. Gimple, Angela Kang, Greg Nicotero, Tom Luse, Denise Huth, and Gale Anne Hurd, with Kang taking over the role of showrunner from Gimple.[3]

Eighteen months after the defeat of Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) under an alliance of communities spearheaded by Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), the season focuses on the united communities as they face obstacles and threats both outside and inside their alliance, with the threat of the mysterious Whisperers looming.[4]

The ninth season will be the final season for lead actor Andrew Lincoln, who has portrayed Rick Grimes since the series' first season, as well as for Lauren Cohan, who has portrayed Maggie Greene since the second season.

Cast

Main cast

Andrew Lincoln (Rick Grimes), Norman Reedus (Daryl Dixon), and Lauren Cohan (Maggie Greene)

Danai Gurira (Michonne), Melissa McBride (Carol Peletier), and Alanna Masterson (Tara Chambler)

Josh McDermitt (Eugene Porter), Christian Serratos (Rosita Espinosa), and Seth Gilliam (Gabriel Stokes)

Ross Marquand (Aaron), Katelyn Nacon (Enid), and Tom Payne (Paul "Jesus" Rovia)

Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Negan), Xander Berkeley (Gregory), and Khary Payton (Ezekiel),

The ninth season features nineteen series regulars overall. For this season, Katelyn Nacon and Tom Payne were added to the opening credits, after previously being credited as "also starring".[5] Callan McAuliffe and Avi Nash were promoted to series regular status, after previously having recurring roles.[6] Samantha Morton enters the secondary cast as Alpha, the leader of the Whisperers, who will be the main antagonist of this season.[7] This will be the first season not to include Chandler Riggs and Steven Ogg (since their first appearance on the series), and the first not to include Lennie James since he was promoted to a series regular in the sixth season (James did not make any appearance on the series second and fourth seasons), all were credited as either a series regular, guest or a main cast member in previous seasons.

Starring

Also starring

  • Xander Berkeley as Gregory, the arrogant, selfish, and treacherous former leader of the Hilltop who is adjusting under Maggie's leadership.[14][15]
  • Khary Payton as Ezekiel, the charismatic leader of the Kingdom who helped Rick defeat Negan and his Saviors.[12]
  • Pollyanna McIntosh as Anne, the former leader of the Scavengers (previously known as "Jadis") who has since integrated into Alexandria.[12]
  • Callan McAuliffe as Alden, a former member of the Saviors who had defected to Maggie's group during the war against Negan.[6]
  • Avi Nash as Siddiq, a former vagabond and doctor who was rescued by Carl before his death.[6]
  • Samantha Morton as Alpha, the leader of the Whisperers, a mysterious group of survivors who wear the skins of walkers to mask their presence.[7]

Supporting cast

Alexandria Safe-Zone

  • Kenric Green as Scott, a supply runner in Alexandria.
  • Mandi Christine Kerr as Barbara, resident of Alexandria.

The Hilltop

  • Brett Butler as Tammy Rose, a resident of the Hilltop and wife to Earl.[16]
  • John Finn as Earl, the Hilltop's blacksmith and husband to Tammy Rose.[16]
  • Karen Ceesay as Bertie, a resident of the Hilltop.
  • James Chen as Kal, a protector and guardian of the Hilltop.
  • Peter Zimmerman as Eduardo, a resident of the Hilltop.
  • Anthony Lopez as Oscar, a resident of the Hilltop.
  • Gustavo Gomez as Marco, a supply runner of the Hilltop.
  • AJ Achinger as Ken, a resident of the Hilltop, son of Earl and Tammy.

The Sanctuary

  • Traci Dinwiddie as Regina, a former lieutenant of the Saviors.
  • Elizabeth Ludlow as Arat, a former lieutenant of the Saviors who has made peace with Rick's group.
  • Lindsley Register as Laura, a former lieutenant of the Saviors and gardener of the Sanctuary.
  • Chloe Aktas as Tanya, a resident of the Sanctuary and one of Negan's former "wives".
  • Elyse Dufour as Frankie, one of Negan's former "wives".
  • Zach McGowan as Justin, a hostile Savior not interested in working together with the other communities.[16]
  • Rhys Coiro as Jed, a rebellious member of the Saviors who wants to go back to Negan's ideology.[16]

The Kingdom

  • Cooper Andrews as Jerry, a resident of the Kingdom and Ezekiel's right-hand man who is in a relationship with Nabila.[12]
  • Kerry Cahill as Dianne, one of Ezekiel's top soldiers and a skilled archer.
  • Macsen Lintz as Henry, a resident of the Kingdom and the younger brother of the deceased Benjamin. Henry forms a bond with Carol.
  • Nadine Marissa as Nabila, a resident and gardener of the Kingdom and Jerry's girlfriend.

Oceanside

  • Sydney Park as Cyndie, a young woman who has become the leader of the Oceanside community following the death of her grandmother, Natania.

Magna's group

The Whisperers

  • Ryan Hurst as Beta, the second-in-command of the Whisperers.[20]
  • Cassady McClincy as Lydia, Alpha's daughter.[21]

Miscellaneous

Episodes

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date [26]U.S. viewers
(millions)
1161"A New Beginning"Greg NicoteroAngela KangOctober 7, 2018 (2018-10-07)6.08[27]
Eighteen months after Negan's defeat, the various communities are working on rebuilding society, however, the Sanctuary suffers from infertile ground and underlying support for Negan. Rick leads a trek to a Washington, D.C. museum to recover pioneering supplies; on the way back, they find the main bridge to Hilltop has been wiped out by a storm, forcing them to detour. A young man, Ken, is killed while protecting the group's horses from walkers. Gregory, ousted as Hilltop's leader, convinces Ken's father, Earl, to try and kill Maggie, but he fails. Rick and Michonne ask Maggie for Hilltop's help in providing for the Sanctuary, but she refuses. That evening, Maggie has Gregory publicly executed for his actions.
1172"The Bridge"Daisy MayerDavid Leslie Johnson-McGoldrickOctober 14, 2018 (2018-10-14)TBD
1183"Warning Signs"[28]Dan LiuCorey ReedOctober 21, 2018 (2018-10-21)TBD
1194"The Obliged"[28]Rosemary RodriguezGeraldine InoaOctober 28, 2018 (2018-10-28)TBD
1205"What Comes After"[28]Greg NicoteroMatthew Negrete & Scott M. GimpleNovember 4, 2018 (2018-11-04)TBD
1216"Who Are You Now"[28]Larry TengEddie GuzelianNovember 11, 2018 (2018-11-11)TBD
1227"Stradivarius"[28]Michael CudlitzVivian TseNovember 18, 2018 (2018-11-18)TBD
1238"Evolution"[28]Michael E. SatrazemisDavid Leslie Johnson-McGoldrickNovember 25, 2018 (2018-11-25)TBD

Production

The series was renewed for a ninth season in January 2018.[29] Along with the renewal, it was announced that showrunner Scott M. Gimple would be promoted to chief content officer for both The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead, while writer and co-executive producer Angela Kang would take Gimple's role for The Walking Dead.[30]

Filming for the ninth season began on April 30, 2018, with Greg Nicotero directing the first episode of the season.[31] Michael Cudlitz, who played Abraham Ford, will direct the seventh episode of the season.[32]

The ninth season features a redesigned opening credits sequence. The animated title sequence, which is graphic novel inspired, features familiar imagery such as Daryl's motorcycle and crossbow, and Michonne's katana. Kang spoke of the inspiration for the new sequence, "The feel of the season has elements of the Western genre. We're paying homage to some of the iconic moments from the graphic novel. Life is coming out of death. Nature's taking over, while other things are crumbling."[33]

Casting

The ninth season is confirmed to be the final season of series lead Andrew Lincoln.

Most of the cast's contracts had to be renewed for the ninth season and beyond, and most of the cast did re-sign;[34] the notable exception was Lauren Cohan who plays Maggie Greene. Cohan had sought a pay increase from AMC given her high demand from other networks; while she had signed on to star in a new series, Whiskey Cavalier, for the ABC network, this contract would still enable her to participate on The Walking Dead in a limited role.[35] In April, Cohan confirmed she signed on for the ninth season but only for six episodes.[36]

At the end of the eighth season, former regular Lennie James (as Morgan Jones) was moved to The Walking Dead's companion series, Fear the Walking Dead, as showrunner Scott M. Gimple felt there were more stories about Morgan to tell that would be more effective with Fear's smaller cast and narrative approach.[37] In May 2018, it was announced that Avi Nash and Callan McAuliffe, who joined the series in the eighth season as the recurring roles of Siddiq and Alden, respectively, were promoted to series regulars.[6]

In late May, it was reported that the ninth season would be the final season for Andrew Lincoln, who plays lead character Rick Grimes.[38] Lincoln said that as he lives in England and shooting a season takes six months or more, he believed it was time to leave the series to be able to spend more time with his growing children.[39] However, he has expressed desire to direct an episode in future seasons for the series, and will shadow a director during the ninth season.[40] Lauren Cohan also announced that this would be her last season on the series, appearing in the first six episodes as Maggie Greene before her departure. Alongside other acting commitments, Cohan felt she had become too comfortable in the role, and it was time to move on. She appreciated the opportunity to explore Maggie in her last few episodes.[41]

In June 2018, it was reported that Jon Bernthal would reprise his role as Shane Walsh for one episode in the ninth season.[22] In July 2018, it was reported that Lauren Ridloff, a deaf actress, would join the series in the ninth season playing Connie, a deaf survivor who communicates through sign language.[17] Also in July 2018, during San Diego Comic-Con, it was announced that Samantha Morton was cast in the series regular role of Alpha, the leader of the Whisperers, a villain from the comic book series. Several other recurring roles were announced as well, played by Brett Butler, John Finn, Rhys Coiro, Dan Fogler, and Zach McGowan.[7] On October 6, 2018, the day before the season premiere, the showrunners affirmed Bernthal's return as Shane, as well as Sonequa Martin-Green and Scott Wilson returning to reprise their roles as Sasha Williams and Hershel Greene, respectively, at the New York Comic Con.[42] Wilson died later that day due to cancer;[25] however, according to Comic Book, Wilson had filmed his scenes previously to be broadcast during the first half of the season.[24]

Writing

Angela Kang stated that the season would include a timeskip, which coincides with the comic's narrative after the "All Out War" arc. She stated that they were aiming to give the series a "fresh look and feel", and "focusing a lot on the core character relationships in the show that have kind of been long-lasting, as well as all of our wonderful series regulars".[43] Kang said that the season would "explore what happened as man made objects and structures break down" and "what happens as resources are getting low", giving the season a Western feel.[44] Actor Tom Payne, who portrays Jesus, said the timejump is about a year and a half from the end of the eighth season, giving enough time for survivors to re-establish farming and livestock raising.[45]

Release

The teaser for the season was released on July 19, 2018, the first day of the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con. The trailer was released on July 20, 2018.[46] The ninth season premiered on October 7, 2018,[2] and the episode was made available a day early via AMC Premiere, the network's on-demand service.[47]

Reception

Critical response

Early critical reception for the ninth season of The Walking Dead has been acclaimed, with critics noting its improvement over the two previous seasons, but remain cautious if the series can maintain its improved quality for the entire season. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season holds a score of 98% with an average rating of 7 out of 10, based on 10 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads, "Nine seasons in, The Walking Dead feels more alive than ever, with heightened tension and a refreshed pace that rejuvenates this long-running franchise."[48] On Metacritic, the season has a score of 72 out of 100 based on 4 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[49] Reviewing the season premiere, Sarah Moran of Screen Rant wrote the episode "feels like the fresh start the series so desperately needs, trading grim wartime for a more peaceful period of growth and reflection" and praised the changes made by new showrunner Angela Kang.[50] Erik Kain of Forbes called the first episode "the best episode since season 6 and better than many in that season as well."[51]

Brandon Davis of Comicbook.com wrote a highly positive review based on the first three episodes, praising the more character-driven narrative.[52] In another review from Comicbook.com, Cameron Bonomolo also praised the first three episodes of the season, writing, "The Walking Dead is now a political drama viewed through the lens of a zombie apocalypse, turning greater focus to more complex character-driven conflict that is at its strongest since the Frank Darabont-led first season." Bonomolo also called the third episode "jaw-dropping" and that it "delivers some of the finest mystery and drama the show has ever seen in its eight-year run."[53] Jeff Stone of IndieWire wrote a positive review based on the first three episodes and gave them an "A-" grade. He called the ninth season a "huge step up for the show" and that the episodes "are as strong as anything the show's done since the heyday of Season 4."[54]

The Walking Dead (season 9): Critical reception by episode
  • Season 9 (2018–19): Percentage of positive reviews tracked by the website Rotten Tomatoes[48]

Ratings

No. Title Air dateRating
(18–49)		Viewers
(millions)		DVR
(18–49)		DVR viewers
(millions)		Total
(18–49)		Total viewers
(millions)
1 "A New Beginning" October 7, 20182.56.08[27]TBDTBDTBDTBD
2 "The Bridge" October 14, 2018TBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBD

References

  1. ↑ Matthews, Liam (July 5, 2018). "Everything We Know About The Walking Dead Season 9". TV Guide. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  2. 1 2 Goldberg, Lesley (July 20, 2018). "'Walking Dead' Season 9 Trailer Debuts at Comic-Con". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  3. ↑ Otterson, Joe (January 13, 2018). "'Walking Dead' Names Angela Kang Showrunner, Scott Gimple Elevated to Chief Content Officer". Variety. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  4. ↑ Ridgely, Charlie (September 5, 2018). "'The Walking Dead' Season 9 Synopsis, Key Art Released". Comic Book. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 Kirsten [@KirstenAcuna] (September 19, 2018). "Just compared season 8 credits with the new ones. Katelyn Nacon AND Tom Payne are the two new additions right before JDM's name at the end. Everyone else is in the same order just w/ Chandler / Lennie James taken out" (Tweet). Retrieved September 21, 2018 – via Twitter.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Goldberg, Lesley (May 7, 2018). "'Walking Dead' Promotes Pair to Series Regulars for Season 9 (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 Wigler, Josh (July 20, 2018). "'Walking Dead' Taps Samantha Morton as Iconic Villain". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Sandwell, Ian; Jeffery, Morgan (July 6, 2018). "The Walking Dead season 9: Release date, cast, new showrunner and everything you need to know". Digital Spy. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  9. ↑ "The Walking Dead Cast & Crew - Michonne". AMC. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
  10. ↑ "The Walking Dead Cast & Crew - Eugene Porter". AMC. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
  11. ↑ "The Walking Dead Cast & Crew - Aaron". AMC. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Bonomolo, Cameron (May 4, 2018). "First Look at 'The Walking Dead' Season 9". Comic Book. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  13. ↑ "The Walking Dead Cast & Crew - Enid". AMC. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
  14. ↑ Wigler, Josh (July 21, 2018). "'Walking Dead': How the Season 9 Trailer Sets Up Andrew Lincoln's Exit". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  15. ↑ "The Walking Dead Cast & Crew - Gregory". AMC. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Boucher, Ashley (July 20, 2018). "'The Walking Dead' Casts Nadia Hilker as Magna for Season 9". TheWrap. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  17. 1 2 Ross, Dalton (July 16, 2018). "The Walking Dead casts Tony nominee Lauren Ridloff for season 9". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
  18. ↑ Davis, Brandon (July 16, 2018). "Eleanor Matsuura Cast as Yumiko in 'The Walking Dead' Season 9". Comic Book. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  19. ↑ Davis, Brandon (July 18, 2018). "'The Walking Dead' Adds 'Fantastic Beasts' Star Dan Fogler". Comic Book. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  20. ↑ Lawrence, Derek (August 27, 2018). "Sons of Anarchy favorite Ryan Hurst joins The Walking Dead". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  21. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (August 24, 2018). "'Walking Dead' Casts Key Comic Book Character for Season 9". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  22. 1 2 Ausiello, Michael (June 18, 2018). "Jon Bernthal Sets Walking Dead Return". TVLine. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  23. 1 2 3 Wigler, Josh (October 6, 2018). "'Walking Dead': Andrew Lincoln Delivers Emotional Goodbye to Fans at New York Comic-Con". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  24. 1 2 Davis, Brandon (October 6, 2018). "Scott Wilson Already Filmed 'The Walking Dead' Season 9 Scenes". Comic Book. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  25. 1 2 Barnes, Mike (October 6, 2018). "Scott Wilson, Actor in 'The Walking Dead' and 'In Cold Blood,' Dies at 76". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  26. ↑ "Shows A-Z - walking dead, the on amc". The Futon Critic. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  27. 1 2 Welch, Alex (October 9, 2018). "Sunday cable ratings: 'Doctor Who' returns up, 'The Walking Dead' falls to premiere low". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 6 O'Dell, Johnny (September 17, 2018). "The Walking Dead Season 9A Episode Titles Released". Skybound Entertainment. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  29. ↑ Schwartz, Ryan (January 13, 2018). "Walking Dead Renewed for Season 9, New Showrunner Named". TVLine. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  30. ↑ Prudom, Laura (January 13, 2018). "The Walking Dead Renewed for Season 9, Angela Kang Promoted to Showrunner". IGN. Retrieved January 13, 2018.
  31. ↑ Sandwell, Ian (May 1, 2018). "The Walking Dead season 9 reveals filming has begun". Digital Spy. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  32. ↑ Davis, Brandon (July 14, 2018). "Michael Cudlitz Returning to 'The Walking Dead' as Director". Comic Book. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
  33. ↑ Wigler, Josh (October 3, 2018). "'Walking Dead' Launches New Opening Credits Sequence for Season 9 (Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  34. ↑ Wigler, Josh; Goldberg, Lesley (February 25, 2018). "'Walking Dead': Is Rick Going to Die?". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  35. ↑ Goldberg, Leslie (March 10, 2018). "'Walking Dead' Star to AMC on Lauren Cohan Salary Standoff: "Pay the Woman"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  36. ↑ Ross, Dalton (April 25, 2018). "The Walking Dead's Lauren Cohan to return for season 9". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  37. ↑ O'Donnell, Sean (August 19, 2018). "Lennie James Reveals Why Morgan Moved To Fear The Walking Dead". Screen Rant. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  38. ↑ Trumbore, Dave (May 29, 2018). "Exclusive: Andrew Lincoln to Exit AMC's 'The Walking Dead' in Season 9". Collider. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  39. ↑ Ross, Dalton (July 30, 2018). "Andrew Lincoln reveals why he is leaving The Walking Dead". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  40. ↑ Ross, Dalton (September 25, 2018). "Andrew Lincoln could be returning to The Walking Dead — to direct". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  41. ↑ Rancilio, Alicia (August 20, 2018). "Beyond 'The Walking Dead,' Lauren Cohan is ready for change". Associated Press. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  42. ↑ "'Walking Dead': Andrew Lincoln Delivers Emotional Goodbye to Fans at New York Comic-Con". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
  43. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley; Real, Evan (June 20, 2018). "New 'Walking Dead' Showrunner Confirms Season 9 Time Jump". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
  44. ↑ Ross, Dalton (July 11, 2018). "First image and intel on The Walking Dead season 9 time jump". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  45. ↑ Gilyadov, Alex (August 6, 2018). "The Walking Dead: Season 9 Time Jump Length Revealed". IGN. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  46. ↑ Perry, Spencer (July 19, 2018). "Comic-Con: The Walking Dead Season 9 Trailer Teaser Debuts". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  47. ↑ Powell, Austin (October 6, 2018). "Is AMC Premiere worth it?". The Daily Dot. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  48. 1 2 "The Walking Dead: Season 9". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
  49. ↑ "The Walking Dead: Season 9". Metacritic. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  50. ↑ Morgan, Sarah (September 20, 2018). "The Walking Dead Season 9 Premiere Review: A New Era Begins Now". Screen Rant. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  51. ↑ Kain, Erik (September 20, 2018). "'The Walking Dead' Season 9 (Spoiler-Free) Review: Is This A Comeback?". Forbes. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  52. ↑ Davis, Brandon (September 20, 2018). "'The Walking Dead' Season 9 Review: The Old Show's Return". Comic Book. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  53. ↑ Bonomolo, Cameron (September 20, 2018). "Review: A New Beginning Makes 'The Walking Dead' Season 9 the Best in Years". Comic Book. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  54. ↑ Stone, Jeff (October 1, 2018). "'The Walking Dead' Review: Season 9 Is a Huge Step Up For the Show". IndieWire. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
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